I'm Pretty Sure I have Swine Flu

[Little Linguist]

In Germany, things are different. You need a doctor's note if you want/need to stay home from work, especially if you want your sick time paid. Besides, why WOULDN'T you go to a doctor if you are sick???? Imagine it ISN'T what you think it is? What, are we all magically doctors now because we have Wikipedia???

 

[Laurie]

People going out of their house when they think they have swine flu is a bad idea. I tried to avoid giving our flu out, just because someone else could pick it up and have complications from it.

I've heard that the swine flu normally does respiratory things and that's what causes the problems. Not sure, that was just from someone who works at a Drs. office.

My Dr. said that the swab tests for Influenza A. Not sure about this source, just confirms what my Dr. said.

Testing for the flu, from swab to finish | Swine Flu | Special Reports | PE.com


LL, you don't need to go to the Dr. for the flu because they can't do anything about it. You can't take antibiotics or anything for it. Only if there is a secondary infection of some sort, not if there is just flu.

 

[Little Linguist]

Well anyway, when I went to the doctor, he did not tell me I had swine flu. He told me I have acute bronchitis, which oddly enough had set in at the speed of light, which is quite unusual for me. People normally get bronchitis if they have a cold for a while and don't go to the doctor, I thought.

I guess what I'm saying is that the symptoms of swine flu are symptoms for a GREAT DEAL of illnesses, and I think it's hard for individuals who are not medical professionals to decide whether or not they have the swine flu or something else. Isn't it a good idea to check first beforehand to make sure it REALLY IS the flu?

Although I had bronchitis here were my symptoms:
- pain in the chest
- cough, sore throat
- laryngitis
- fever
- aches and pains
- stuffy/runny nose
- yellow phlegm with traces of blood
- headache

Almost identical! And he told me it was a good idea that I had actually gone there again; otherwise it would have developed into pneumonia. As a layman, I am not able to decide if I have swine flu, acute bronchitis, or normal flu, the cold, pneumonia, or anything else. What else is a doctor there for?

In my case, they had treated me for it by prescribing an antibiotic and codeine to lower the cough (which is where the blood was coming from - little capillaries bursting with the pressure, but can I know that as a layman? Hell no).

 

[Lux]

People going out of their house when they think they have swine flu is a bad idea. I tried to avoid giving our flu out, just because someone else could pick it up and have complications from it.

I've heard that the swine flu normally does respiratory things and that's what causes the problems. Not sure, that was just from someone who works at a Drs. office.

My Dr. said that the swab tests for Influenza A. Not sure about this source, just confirms what my Dr. said.

Testing for the flu, from swab to finish | Swine Flu | Special Reports | PE.com

You're very right about not leaving the house. We couldn't leave until 24 hours after the fever broke. You're also correct in that it does respiratory things. It's not really the H1N1 virus itself that is making so many 'hospital sick', it's the secondary bacterial infections in the lungs afterword i.e bronchitis or pneumonia. Not that I'm an expert on this but my husband, son, and myself had it. I did have to go to the hospital because of a secondary lung infection and the ER doctor explained what he could to me. I didn't want to say that I ended up in the hospital because I didn't want to scare OWS considering that it's not very common to be that bad off. Most people just have to stay in bed and take over counter meds to feel better
Here is a link I found:

CDC H1N1 Flu | Interim Guidance on Specimen Collection, Processing, and Testing for Patients with Suspected Novel Influenza A (H1N1) (Swine Flu) Virus Infection

 

[Little Linguist]

It's something else if you KNOW you have it. But if you are not sure what you have, shouldn't you go to the doctor?

 

[Lux]

It's something else if you KNOW you have it. But if you are not sure what you have, shouldn't you go to the doctor?

You could always call them if you suspect you have it and see what they tell you to do. Many offices have a different door for very contagious patients.

 

[Laurie]

You're very right about not leaving the house. We couldn't leave until 24 hours after the fever broke. You're also correct in that it does respiratory things. It's not really the H1N1 virus itself that is making so many 'hospital sick', it's the secondary bacterial infections in the lungs afterword i.e bronchitis or pneumonia. Not that I'm an expert on this but my husband, son, and myself had it. I did have to go to the hospital because of a secondary lung infection and the ER doctor explained what he could to me. I didn't want to say that I ended up in the hospital because I didn't want to scare OWS considering that it's not very common to be that bad off. Most people just have to stay in bed and take over counter meds to feel better
Here is a link I found:

CDC H1N1 Flu | Interim Guidance on Specimen Collection, Processing, and Testing for Patients with Suspected Novel Influenza A (H1N1) (Swine Flu) Virus Infection

Wow, that's awful, you guys were so sick. Ugh. That's exactly what I heard about the secondary infections too.

My Dr. suspects that my daughter may have had it because of her coughing (she was home for a week and sick for 2) but apparently it also looked like another type of illness going around.

 

[Little Linguist]

Wow, every time I speak to people on this forum, it becomes more and more acutely aware to me how different Germany is from America.

On the other hand, we don't have as many problems with swine flu as the US has right now. Not only that, but we have comprehensive health care, which means everyone can get treated for illnesses.

Seriously, though, it was quite clear to me that I did not have the swine flu because I had no vomiting or diarrhea. My illness was purely respiratory.

But we don't have different doors for different patients.

 

[Moiety]

Wow, every time I speak to people on this forum, it becomes more and more acutely aware to me how different Germany is from America.

On the other hand, we don't have as many problems with swine flu as the US has right now. Not only that, but we have comprehensive health care, which means everyone can get treated for illnesses.

Seriously, though, it was quite clear to me that I did not have the swine flu because I had no vomiting or diarrhea. My illness was purely respiratory.

But we don't have different doors for different patients.

In America, the rules understand you!

 

[Laurie]

But we don't have different doors for different patients.

It's if someone is very contagious. Just lowers the risk for the other patients. For example, possible chickenpox, etc.

 

[Little Linguist]

Wow, that's awful, you guys were so sick. Ugh. That's exactly what I heard about the secondary infections too.

My Dr. suspects that my daughter may have had it because of her coughing (she was home for a week and sick for 2) but apparently it also looked like another type of illness going around.

^^^ There is another kind of illness rampant here, too. (Not swine flu). And that is the kicker I caught. Really dangerous. Anyway...That's why I think it is always a good idea to go to a doctor because only a good doctor can tell you what illness you really have and make sure it has not already developed into some kind of secondary infection. That's all I meant.

 

[JivinJeffJones]

Lucky bastard. I missed SARS too. :steam:

My immune system hasn't been upgraded since about 1999. Think of all the cutting-edge antibodies I'm missing out on. When the big Pandemic finally hits I'll be one of the first on the slabs.

 

[Thalassa]

It's more unlikely that someone would have swine flu though.

You don't read the newspaper much, do you?

 

[Thalassa]

Maybe, but it depends on if he's where a break out is. Where I live it's running rampant.

It's running rampant where I live, too.

It's actually much more likely that you have the swine flu. The seasonal flu season hasn't even started.

What the heck are these people talking about who say you are more likely to have the seasonal flu?

 

[Little Linguist]

I think it's a different kind of mentality, to be honest. Most Americans won't go to a doctor unless they are on the brink of needing a hospital; whereas most Germans go to a doctor if they have an illness of any kind. More of a preventative measure. *shrugs* I'm not saying Germans are hypochondriacs or that all Germans are like that, but Germans are more willing to go to a doctor at the sign of trouble to make sure they are correctly diagnosed.

I think I'm experiencing culture shock.

 

[Lux]

Wow, that's awful, you guys were so sick. Ugh. That's exactly what I heard about the secondary infections too.

My Dr. suspects that my daughter may have had it because of her coughing (she was home for a week and sick for 2) but apparently it also looked like another type of illness going around.

That's how it started with my family, we all had a little benign cough then look out! My son had a fever of 104 in the middle of night. My son was pretty sick at first but he had Tamiflu within hours so he recovered very quickly. My husband said he just felt like he had a head cold. None of us had vomiting of diarrhea.

 

[Laurie]

My daughter had 103.1

LL - I was talking to someone from England once and he told me they don't take their kids to the Dr. for ear infections. He even said the kid's ear was "draining" but it "got better."

 

[JivinJeffJones]

I think it's a different kind of mentality, to be honest. Most Americans won't go to a doctor unless they are on the brink of needing a hospital; whereas most Germans go to a doctor if they have an illness of any kind. More of a preventative measure. *shrugs* I'm not saying Germans are hypochondriacs or that all Germans are like that, but Germans are more willing to go to a doctor at the sign of trouble to make sure they are correctly diagnosed.

The natures of the respective health systems might have a bit to do with that.

 

[Thalassa]

I think it's a different kind of mentality, to be honest. Most Americans won't go to a doctor unless they are on the brink of needing a hospital; whereas most Germans go to a doctor if they have an illness of any kind. More of a preventative measure. *shrugs* I'm not saying Germans are hypochondriacs or that all Germans are like that, but Germans are more willing to go to a doctor at the sign of trouble to make sure they are correctly diagnosed.

I think I'm experiencing culture shock.

Some people here are insane. One of my supervisors came to work the other week saying that she "might have pneumonia." Americans are stupidly obsessed with work. I refuse to participate. If I'm sick, I stay home. I sure as fuck don't go to work if I think I have pneumonia.

 

[Little Linguist]

My daughter had 103.1

LL - I was talking to someone from England once and he told me they don't take their kids to the Dr. for ear infections. He even said the kid's ear was "draining" but it "got better."

Holy guacamole! That would never happen here! At least not if parents took care of their kids properly.

The natures of the respective health systems might have a bit to do with that.

I'm really starting to think that. If you stay home from work for being sick and do not provide a doctor's note, you don't get paid or you have to use vacation time. You ALWAYS have to get a doctor's note. There is no 'stay home and wait for it to get better.'

Of course it depends on your employer what you have to do exactly. Some say on the day of illness. Others after one sick day. Others three. But no note, no go.